In the last seven years, Nissan Leaf managed to become the most popular electric vehicle in the world. It is rewarding, but difficult to keep. So the Japanese brand unveiled the second generation of the Leaf and is already in a hurry to produce it.
Nissan plans to start full production of the new LEAF at Nissan’s Vehicle Assembly Plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, and at Nissan Motor Manufacturing (UK) in Sunderland, U.K., by the end of calendar year 2017.
The two production sites join Nissan’s Oppama Plant in Japan, which is producing the new generation of the world’s best-selling electric vehicle.
“We’re proud to continue manufacturing the Nissan LEAF at three plants globally,” said Fumiaki Matsumoto, executive vice president of Nissan Motor Manufacturing, Supply Chain Management. “The Nissan LEAF is the icon of Nissan Intelligent Mobility with its many advanced technologies. Nissan employees in Oppama, Smyrna and Sunderland are excited to continue producing the most popular electric vehicle in the world.”
Production of the previous generation of the Nissan LEAF began at Oppama in 2010, and at Smyrna and Sunderland in 2013. Nissan LEAF batteries will continue to be produced in Smyrna, Sunderland and Zama, Japan.
The new Nissan Leaf will go on sale on Oct. 2 in Japan and in the coming months in the U.S., Canada and Europe.
